The Philips Hue Play Sync Box is one of those accessories that virtually any user of the Philips Hue smart lighting system would want to have. The problem is that it is not easy to justify the 250 euros it costs. But what if we told you that with a Raspberry Pi you could have it with a lower investment. Let’s see it.
What is Ambilight
Before seeing how to make your own Philips Hue Sync Box it is important to know what Ambilight is. If you are interested in the world of televisions we are convinced that you will already know what we mean and even without being a follower of all the news that are related to Smart TVs it is likely that too.
Ambilight is a lighting system that Philips launched many years ago. At first it was something very basic, since it practically consisted of a series of lights that changed the intensity depending on the image that was shown and only on one pair of sides.
Over time it evolved and not only three-sided Ambilight systems arrived, but also those that allowed the intensity and color to be adapted to create a much more immersive and attractive experience when viewing all kinds of content, from series to movies. and even video games.
As the television was in charge of processing and analyzing the image, it did not matter which video source was that could be enjoyed with this striking and attractive option.
What is the Philips Hue Play Sync Box
As Philips introduced new products to its Philips Hue smart light portfolio and the popularity of Ambilight grew, they thought it would be a good idea to offer something that would allow users to enjoy that experience without having to buy a branded TV. .
First of all, because even though it was the ideal, they knew that it would not always be possible. And because also the idea of Ambilight could not only be used when viewing content, but also for other very different occasions such as playing video games or having a party with friends.
In addition, having such a wide repertoire of light bulbs, LED strips, indoor and outdoor lamps, etc., not taking advantage of this entire ecosystem of products seemed crazy. So the company launched the Philips Hue Sync Box not long ago.
This small box is designed to be placed next to the television, projector or monitor that you use to view your favorite audiovisual content. The video source is connected to it via an HDMI cable and then, with another HDMI cable, to the display.
The video signal is analyzed inside said box and this then manages how the smart lights that have been connected to it will work. Thus, together with an application that allows you to select the lights and the position with respect to the user, a very interesting effect is achieved with which to enjoy multimedia experiences in another way.
The problem is that this small box costs about 249 euros , a really important investment and one that is not easy to justify. Also, if you have to add the cost of the Philips RGB bulbs or even the strips, it is even more expensive to enjoy that system or Ambilight experience.
Of course, the experience that this box will offer you with the rest of Philips products is clearly the most satisfactory of all. But if you make certain commitments, you may be compensated for everything you are going to save.
How to make your own Philips Hue Play Sync Box
Suppose you have some Philips Hue bulbs and you have known about the existence of the Philips Hue Play Sync Box, but spending 249 euros is not within your plans. Solution? Well, make your own box for the synchronization of your smart lights. And yes, thanks to the use of a Raspberry Pi plus some other additional component.
Necessary components
Along with the Raspberry Pi you will need a series of additional components to be able to assemble your own Philips Hue Play Sync Box. If you already have a Raspberry Pi, the investment is going to be very low. And if not, you will also save a significant sum of money compared to the official Philips solution.
The components you need are:
- Raspberry Pi , it is worth practically any model. Although you may be interested in a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B with 2GB of RAM
- Various HDMI cables
- HDMI splitter
- HDMI to RCA Converter
- USB Video Capture
- HDMI switch in case you want to use it with different video sources
Now that you have all the necessary components, the next step is to download and install the software that will do all the magic: Hyperion. This will be in charge of analyzing the incoming video signal and then synchronizing with the Philips Hue lights that you have at home.
Here it is necessary to clarify that, although the software officially only supports the original Philips Hue API, support can be added for the new Philips Entertainment API with which it would improve the experience.
About the Hyperion installation process on Raspberry Pi nothing better than to consult the official documentation that is available on the project’s GitHub page. It requires you to know English, although you can also use a translator and with a little patience you will not have a problem following each of the steps.
Once you have Hyperion installed on your Raspberry Pi, connect all the cables and the rest of the component depending on what you want. That is, if you want to take advantage of this replacement for the Philips Hue Play Sync Box then use the HDMI Switch. From there, that HDMI output to the splitter.
The splitter will take out a cable for the screen you are going to use (TV, monitor or projector) and another when talking from HDMI to RCA which in turn will go to the USB video capture connected to the Raspberry Pi. Yes, at first it may seem a bit confusing, but it is just following an order and that’s it.
When everything is done, from Hyperion you can configure aspects such as the brightness and intensity of the lights, which ones you will use, etc. Once everything is finished, you can forget about it and dedicate yourself to enjoying this very DIY alternative, but perfect to save a lot of money and enjoy a very attractive immersive experience.
Hyperion also allows you to make your own Ambilight
Along with this option Hyperion also allows you to build your own Ambilight system and the only thing you would need is a Raspberry Pi and an LED strip that you would place around your television. In the following video you can see the steps and the result. So don’t say it’s not interesting to do something like that either.
